St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-09-22

house on the 18th, and l want you and
Marmaduke to be there without fail"
ga weddingl At his house !" cried
Faith. ''I supposed weddings were
celebrated at the brides residence"
$50 they are, DEAR" said Miss Smith,
"but your uncle was always so eccen-
trio"
"Wbat shall we do Z" asked Faith.
"Why, go, of course" said Marina
duke Bourne, "tO show that we bear
no i'll will, if for no other reason"
The 18th of March arrived, cold,
clustering night, and the old red brick
house was all in a glimmer of light as
the young betrothed pair drew up to
the door. Uncle Nahum met them on
the threshold, in his old-fashioned,
swallOw-tailed coat, with huge white
camellia in his buttOnhole and pair
of surprisingly white kid gloves.
"Have you brought your white
frOck 2" was his first question to his
niece.
''NO, uncle, /"
"That won't do" said Uncle Nahum.
"NO one must come to~my wedding
without a marriage garment. It's lucky
| provided one for you. Come upstairs
now and change your dress"
"But uncle, a white silk ~ cried
Faith, looking in dismay at the glIs-
tening dress laid out for her use.
"What then Isn't white silk the
thing for a weddingq Put it on quick,
and I'll send some one to bring you
down in five minutes"
And so, with a doubling heart, Faith
Nixon rObed herself in the white dress,
with it's trimmings of vapOry blonde
and long trail.
"Where's your veil 2" said Uncle Ma
hum, when he came himself few min
utes later, to the door.
"Uncle, can't wear a VEIL" pleaded
Faith.
"But you must !" said Uncle Nahum;
"nObody come to my wedding without
veil" And he placed the wreath
lightly on her head.
''But Uncle Nahum, they will take
me for the BRIDE"
"Let 'em," said the old gentleman.
"Take my arm. Now come down
stairs, and I'll show you the bride.
Here she is"
Lifting her bewildered eyes, Faith
Nixon beheld her own figure reflected
in full-length mirror at the stairway.
Here's the BRIDE" chuckled Uncle
Nahum, leading her up to Bourne,
land here's the grOOm," touching
Bourne's shoulder. "And here's the
parson all ready and waiting. Now,
reverend sir" to the clergyman, omar
ny 'em as fast as ever you can" And
before either of the astOnished young
compile could demonstrate they were
made man and wife.
"Duke,n said the bride as soon as
the ceremony was over, "did you know
of this 2"
"No, | didn't" said Mr.. Bourne,
with his arm very tight around his lit
tie wife's waist. "But l must say |
approve very highly of the whole pro-
ceeding."
Uncle Nahum stood by, rubbing his
hands, with his face wreathed in one
prodigiOus smile.
$50 you supposed it was l who was
to be married, ell 2" said he. "NOt a
bit of it, not bit of it. l am too old
bird to be caught with such chaff as
that. No, no, little Faith. Did you
think | was going to turn my wee
birdie out of her nest, after all the
years she has been cherished there 2
No, no, only wanted to assure myself
that your fancy was real fancy, and
this young rascal here" shifting Bourne
on the shoulder once more, "lOved you
for yourself alone, and not for the
money which he thought the old man
was going to leave you. And you're
to live here, both of you, and we will
be happy ever after. Strike up your
harps and fiddles. Let's have a dance,
let's all be merry together"
Uncle Nahum Nixon himself led off
the bridal quadrille, dancing in the
good old style of fifty years ago.
81 can't have a wedding every day."
said Uncle Nahum, breathlessly, as he
cut a last pigeon wing, "and L mean
to make the most of it,"